It is said that travel broadens the mind, and beginning in 2017 the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is offering a new global travel program specifically focused on broadening the architectural mind.

Architectural Adventures, as the program has been dubbed, will offer small-group trips tailored for the discovery and appreciation of architecture. Every Architectural Adventures tour will feature subject-matter experts, hand-picked by the AIA, to guide travelers and enliven their awareness of the world’s architecture. The tour guides will offer an up-close view of not just the iconic landmarks and buildings in the various cities, but also an explanation of how the historical, political and cultural events helped shape the cityscapes.

Architectural Adventures provides individuals with the opportunity to participate in special excursions, gain exclusive behind-the-scenes access, and get insider knowledge to popular sights as well as lesser-known, yet equally fascinating architecture.

2017 destinations and highlights are listed below:

Havana: In March, set forth on a six-day immersion in the Cuban capital that spans from Old Havana and the 16th century stone fort that guards Havana Bay to the city’s early twentieth-century Art Deco wonders and its most prominent contemporary projects.

Chicago: In April, explore the varied works of Frank Lloyd Wright and see why Chicago is known as the first city of American architecture.

Lisbon to London: In April, cruise Europe’s Atlantic coast, stopping to see its most spectacular sites and structures, like the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain and France’s Mont Saint-Michel.

Northern Italy: In May, immerse yourself in the Renaissance world of Andrea Palladio and visit Venice for an exclusive tour of St. Mark’s Basilica.

Cities of the Baltic Sea: In June, sail from Copenhagen to Gdansk to Tallinn to St. Petersburg to Helsinki to Stockholm, stopping to see the Baltic’s grandest designs.

Along the Danube: In June, experience Central Europe’s signature cities, including Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest.

London: In July, wander London’s charming back streets and towering triumphs like Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Portugal and Northern Spain: In October, take an epic 17-day journey from Lisbon to Barcelona by way of the seminal cities of the Spanish Pyrenees.

Accommodations, most meals, tour transportation, and logistical details of the trip are included in the tours. For more details on booking availabilities and new trip announcements visit architecturaladventures.org.

During his 60-year career, Arata Isozaki has been credited with facilitating dialogue between East and West, reinterpreting global influences within architecture, and supporting the development of younger generations in the field. Photo: The Hyatt Foundation

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